Women Undergoing Mitral Valve Replacement: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries 1 and, in Brazil, despite regional differences, CVD kills more than any other cause. 2 CVD is also the leading cause of death among women, and usually occurs 7-10 years later than men. 1 However, the prevalence of this disease increases in the postmenopausal period, possibly due to the decrease in estrogen hormone levels.There are few data in the literature about the assessment of risk factors and treatment of CVDs in women, as compared to men, including in Brazil. This leads to a delay in the institution of appropriate therapies, so that women often receive less aggressive treatments and are less likely than their male counterparts to be managed following recommended guidelines. 3 Mitral valve disease is the most common valvular heart disease. In developing countries, the main cause of mitral valve stenosis is rheumatic fever, and mitral valve replacement is currently one of the most common

Heart Disease is the Leading Cause of Death for Women – We must Change the Status Quo

“…Women are underdiagnosed and undertreated compared to men with the worst prognosis in various diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, mitral valve diseases, and infective endocarditis, as we can see in the articles in this issue. [6][7][8][9][10] Dr. Fausto Pinto, President of the World Heart Federation, highlighted the necessity of getting gender equity and listed several suggestions proposed by the ACC's Cardiovascular Disease in Women Committee to reduce existing gaps. And he emphasizes that "a lot has been done, but a lot more still needs to be done.…”